Memory Upgrade Leader Upgrades Packaging

Just when PNY Electronics Inc. achieved success selling its PC memory upgrades at retail, it decided to upgrade its selling efforts as well."We thought we had something pretty hot with our packaging," says Mike Metro, director of retail sales and marketing for Moonachie, N.J.-based PNY. "But in the spirit of asking if we could make it better, we held focus groups in 1995. We got ripped to shreds."The packaging PNY tested was a software-style box created in 1994 when the company first entered the retail market. It highlighted the company's brand name, Memory Master, and featured bright colors, a bodybuilder logo, and informative text on the spine.The problem, according to focus groups, was that the package made shopping difficult. "People said they wanted a really concise product identification," Metro says. "They wanted to be able to know right away what was in the package, so we addressed that with color coding."Now, the company prints a horizontal band of color on the top of every box, with the color corresponding to the amount of memory in the package. Metallic vertical bands let customers know if they're looking at a generic memory product (gold) or a specialty product (platinum). In addition, megabyte densities are clearly indicated on every box.Perhaps the greatest change was the addition of a window at the base of the box's front. Says Metro, "Consumers also wanted to see what was in the package. Personally, I was against it, but the retailers were calling for it, too, so we added a window on the front." The window also reduces shrinkage, he says: "We do get claims on closed-boxshortages, but with the window, it's hard to return a product and say 'It's not there now.'"Focus group results also had a major impact on the package's textual presentation. "We did a lot of work on that," Metro explains. "Consumers said they only look at the front and the back, but we were putting compatibility information on the spine."Now, we've got it on the back, and we keep the size consistent so we can apply labels with updated information in the future if necessary."In the past, when memory upgrade products were not as common as they are now, PNY included an installation video in each box.Now, however, many retailers stock Memory Master without the video, so the company included simple, three-step installation instructions on the back. Also featured are colorful circles highlighting the toll-free number for PNY's 24-hour technical support line and an invitation to visit its Internet site.Made of cardboard, the box measures 6 inches wide by 11 inches high by 2 inches deep. It is printed in four-color process and then run through the press again to apply the die-cut metallic overlays. An inner pop-up component that cradles the installation video used to be made of plastic but now is cardboard."Finding a vendor to make the package was tough," Metro says. "Registration is critical to maintain the integrity of the colors and the look of the design. By a fluke, the printer we came up with shares a building with our packaging department, so it turned out to be very convenient."PNY used Metro Litho of Moonachie, N.J., for printing. For design, the company turned to Jeffrey Ginsberg Advertising of Hicksville, N.Y., which had come up with the original "Memory Master" bodybuilder logo. The new packages began shipping in June, and Metro says the company expects to ship nearly 7 million units this year, with a per-package manufacturing cost of $0.25.Although PNY once used an outside company to package its products, it now has a staff of about 20 that assembles and stuffs the boxes, which are then shrink-wrapped before distribution. "It's like a popcorn box," Metro explains. "It comes flat with internal components, and you just open it and fold it up. So our turn time is pretty good now.""The reception in the field has been above expectations," says Metro. "The feedback is great, especially from retailers, and we're very proud of how it turned out. After all the focus groups and changes, I think we have the best packaging in the industry."

P2PI MEMBERS

JOIN P2PI

You May Also Like

Hall of Fame Profile: Pamela Velarde

AD Retail Media’s Transition In-House